Włochy (neighbourhood)

Włochy (Polish: [ˈvwɔ.xɘ̟] ^ⓘ) is a neighbourhood of Warsaw, Poland, within the northwestern part of the Włochy district. It is a residential area, predominantly consisting of single-family low-rise houses, with a smaller presence of apartment buildings. The neighbourhood is divided into two halves, with New Włochy in the north, and Old Włochy in the south. They form two areas of the City Information System. In the south, the area also includes the historic neighbourhoods of Budski Szczęśliwickie, Solipse, and Wiktoryn. In its centre, the neighbourhood has the Warszawa Włochy railway station. At its boundaries, it also includes stations Warszawa Aleje Jerozolimskie, Warszawa Raków, and Warszawa Ursus Północny. It also features the Koelichen Palace, a neoclassical residence, dating to 1859, and Fort V "Włochy", retired fortifications from 1888. The neighbourhood also has several urban parks, including Combatans Park, Goat Pond Park, Black Grouse Ponds Park, and Space Gardens. Włochy also has two historic churches, the Church of the Epiphany, from 1939, and the Church of Saints Teresa of the Child Jesus and the Roman Martyrs, completed in 1962. They belong to the Lutheran and Roman Catholic denominations, respectively.

Villages of Sopęchy and Stojarty were first recorded in the area of modern Włochy in 1395 and 1493, respectively. They were founded by the Rakowski family of the clan of Radwan, descending from count Gotard of Służew. In the 15th century, the villages of Porzucewo and Solipse, were separated from Sopęchy. In 1452, a portion of Porzucewo was sold to Jan Włoch, and the village was eventually renamed after him to Włochy in the following century. Sopęchy (since 16th century known as Witki) was burned down by the Swedish army in 1656, during the Second Northern War, while Stojarty was recorded for the last time in the 17th century. In 1795, the estate of Włochy was acquired by count Tadeusz Antoni Mostowski, who developed there his residence together with an English landscape garden, which now forms the Combatants Park. In 1859, in its place was constructed the neoclassical residence, known as the Koelichen Palace, and in 1888, the Fort V "Włochy" was built in the area, as part of the city fortifications, known as the Warsaw Fortress. In the second half of the 19th century, the manufacturing industry developed in Włochy. The hamlet of Wiktoryn was also founded nearby. In 1926, the estate was partitioned and sold off for the development of a residential neighbourhood with villa houses. In 1959, a railway station was opened in Włochy, and later, two more stations were opened in nearby Raków and Wiktoryn, as part of the Electric Commuter Railway. In 1930, Włochy became the seat of a new municipality, named after it, which also included Solipse and Wiktoryn. In 1939, all three settlements were merged to form the town of Włochy. In 1951, it was incorporated into the city of Warsaw.